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Cultivate a Balanced View of WorkAwake!—2010 | January
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Cultivate a Balanced View of Work
IN THESE times of severe economic depression, a prime concern is having a regular job that guarantees sufficient income to cover the needs of the family. This is not always easy, especially when thousands of workers are being laid off. If you are one who suddenly becomes unemployed, the challenge is to take vigorous action to find another job.—See the boxes on pages 8 and 9.
Still, there is much more to life than hard work. “Let’s face it,” says Glenn, a family man from Australia. “No one on his or her deathbed says, ‘I wish I had spent more time at work.’” Living a satisfying, meaningful life obviously involves making time for secular work. But for what else? For family, for recreation, and for spiritual needs. How can you care for these important areas of life in a balanced way?
Time for Work, Time for Self
The Bible tells us to work hard to provide for our family. (Ephesians 4:28) However, it also encourages us to ‘eat, drink, and see good for all our hard work.’ (Ecclesiastes 3:13) Indeed, working long hours without proper rest or recreation can rob you of many joys in life. It can also lead to serious health problems.
Chronic overwork has been linked to obesity, alcoholism, heart disease, workplace accidents, drug dependency, anxiety, fatigue, depression, and many other stress-related disorders. Overwork can also be deadly. One report estimates that in Japan about 10,000 people die annually from overwork, as many as die in automobile accidents in that country each year. This phenomenon—labeled karoshi, “death from overwork”—stretches far beyond Japan.
Notice that the Bible wisely counsels: “Better is a handful of rest than a double handful of hard work and striving after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 4:6) Yes, balance is vital. Do not let your profession become your obsession. Protect your mental, physical, and emotional health by taking time to rest and enjoy the fruits of your labors.
“We should work to live, not live to work,” says Andrew, a married man with three children. Balancing work with rest and leisure will also help you care for the needs of your family. But this is not easy, especially when you have bills to pay.
Balance Work With Family Life
Today many families are overscheduled and underconnected. “Work gets most of my energy and the kids get what’s left,” laments one woman from England. In the United States, 1 in 5 teenagers polled rated “not having enough time with parents” as their top concern. Another U.S. study reports that, on average, dual-income couples talk to each other only 12 minutes a day.
Fed up with the increasing pressure of work, many individuals are reexamining their priorities and making changes. Timothy, a family man with two small children, relates: “I worked overtime, and my wife worked weekends. We hardly saw each other. Finally, we reassessed our life and changed our work situation. Now we are much happier.” Brian, a store manager, says: “With a second child on the way, I went looking for a job that would suit our family. I took a $10,000-a-year pay cut to get better hours, but it was worth it!” Melina gave up secular work when her first daughter was born. “It was hard getting used to one income again,” she recalls. “But my husband and I felt it was better for me to stay home with Emily rather than put her in child care.”
We must recognize, however, that many families have a hard fight just to cover monthly expenses. Some spouses are holding down two jobs just to get by, and in other cases both spouses are working, leaving the children with grandparents or at a child-care center.
You may find additional ways to balance work and family obligations. The key point is this: Do not forsake the joys of family life by placing too much emphasis on work.
Be assured that balancing your work, recreation, and family needs will bring you rich rewards. In our final article, we will consider an even more important ingredient for a simple, balanced life.
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Live a Simple, Balanced LifeAwake!—2010 | January
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Live a Simple, Balanced Life
LIVING a simple, balanced life is truly rewarding. But what does it involve? First, you may need to think about your priorities. How can you do this?
Ask yourself: ‘What have I achieved so far? What remains to be done?’ List your key goals below:
1. ․․․․․
2. ․․․․․
3. ․․․․․
Today many people have a short-term, materialistic view of life. In effect, they say: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we are to die.” (1 Corinthians 15:32) They believe that today’s work-spend consumer lifestyle is as good as life gets. The Bible, however, challenges this view.
In one of his parables, Jesus told of a man who accumulated goods, only to die before he could enjoy them. “So it goes with the man that lays up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21) Was the man wrong to work hard to provide for himself? Not at all. The problem was his materialistic focus. He left God out of his plans. As a result, all his wealth—all he had worked for—would not really benefit him in the long run. How tragic!—Ecclesiastes 2:17-21; Matthew 16:26.
In contrast, Jesus invites us to work for an eternal reward. “Work, not for the food that perishes,” he urged, “but for the food that remains for life everlasting.” (John 6:27) Earlier he had said: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) What a marvelous reward!
How Can You Conquer Anxiety?
Jesus acknowledged the human tendency to worry about material things. Hence, he urged his disciples: “Quit seeking what you might eat and what you might drink, and quit being in anxious suspense; for all these are the things the nations of the world are eagerly pursuing, but your Father knows you need these things. Nevertheless, seek continually his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”—Luke 12:29-31.
Those reassuring words have moved countless Christians to simplify their lives. Juliet, who lives in Malaysia, relates: “My work left me exhausted and frustrated. So my husband and I prayed to Jehovah for help to simplify our lives. His answer was swift. Within a month, I was offered part-time work teaching disabled children.” Steve, a roofing contractor in Australia, adjusted his work to spend more time with his family in spiritual activities. His wife, Maureen, explains: “He is so much happier now, and so are we. The children love it! I love it! Keep it simple, and the whole family thrives.”
However, if you have lost your job and are about to lose your home, it requires great faith to follow Jesus’ admonition. Still, by giving priority to spiritual things and trusting in God, you too can live a simple, balanced life. Doing so will help you to reach out for “the real life”—eternal life in God’s new world of righteousness, where all work will be enjoyable and no effort will be in vain.—1 Timothy 6:17-19; Isaiah 65:21-23.
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